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In 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded,
releasing more than 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico
over the course of 87 days. The unprecedented and untested use of two
million gallons of chemical dispersants, which merely sunk the oil deeper
into the water, into the food chain and out of sight, made the waters of the
Gulf up to 52 times more toxic. Immediately following the oil spill, Sea
Shepherd launched Operation Gulf Rescue, conducting and supporting efforts
to rescue marine life and mitigate the effects of the oil spill on Gulf
ecosystems.

The Campaign will Document the Long-Term Effects of the Deepwater Horizon
Oil Spill and Toxic Oil Dispersants on Gulf of Mexico Whales, Other Ocean
Life

Operation Toxic GulfMarine conservation organizations, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and
Ocean Alliance set sail today on Operation Toxic
Gulf 2014, a joint campaign to research and document the devastating and
lasting impacts of the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon oil spill on
ocean life and marine ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico.

In this collaborative campaign, Sea Shepherd and Ocean Alliance are
sending an international crew to the Gulf region this summer to study and
document the chronic effects of the largest environmental disaster in U.S.
history. Among the crew will be Ocean Alliance Founder and world-renowned
scientist, Dr. Roger Payne. Although they employ different approaches, both
of these organizations work in pursuit of the same goal: to defend, conserve
and protect ocean life worldwide. Both also share an understanding that, as
Sea Shepherd Founder, Captain Paul Watson says, “If the oceans die, we die.”

Campaign research will focus primarily on Sperm whales; as apex
predators, these endangered whales will serve as bio-indicators of the
health and balance of not only the Gulf, but the entire food chain. The
non-lethal research will involve taking samples of whale mucous, whale waste
and other specimens to measure petroleum products, dispersants, metals, DNA
damage and other data. Ocean Alliance and Sea Shepherd are well suited to
conduct this important research, working together aboard the RV Odyssey,
Ocean Alliance’s 93-foot sailboat uniquely outfitted to track, sample and
study whales. In addition to whales, species at risk in the Gulf include
dolphins, pelicans, sea turtles, manatees and fish.

Currently, Sea Shepherd and Ocean Alliance are the only groups conducting
long-term toxicological research to assess the impact on whales of the oil
and dispersants in the Gulf. Operation Toxic Gulf will provide the data
needed to understand the magnitude of these threats to whales and other
marine life and to create awareness of the urgent need to end ocean
pollution. This is the fifth summer since the oil spill that this campaign
is being undertaken in the Gulf of Mexico, and in one year’s time, the two
groups hope to have compiled and analyzed the totality of their data in
order to announce their unique findings.

“Four years after the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the
harmful efforts to hide the oil from the public eye, the Gulf of Mexico is
still plagued by this disaster which some might call the single largest act
of eco-terrorism in history,” said Sea Shepherd founder, Captain Paul
Watson. “Sea Shepherd and Ocean Alliance remain committed to getting to the
bottom of the after-effects of this epic disaster and defending this region
and the whales and other species who call it home.”

"The purpose of the expedition is to the measure the effects on ocean
wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico by the giant blowout that BP had on Earth Day
of 2010 in which millions of gallons of oil went into the Gulf up until the
middle of August when finally it was stopped. During that time they used a
lot of so-called dispersants to disperse the oil. What it was really for was
to hide the oil so it would be out of sight and out of mind,” said Dr. Roger
Payne, Founder and President, Ocean Alliance.

Added Sea Shepherd USA Administrative Director, Susan Hartland: “Sea
Shepherd is proud to work with Ocean Alliance on this important campaign.
Together, we bring decades of experience in direct action conservation and
scientific research desperately needed in the Gulf. Though the oil spill is
no longer prominent in the news headlines, it very much remains a threat to
marine life in the Gulf of Mexico and to the oceans as a whole.”

In 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, releasing more than
200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico over the course of
87 days. The unprecedented and untested use of two million gallons of
chemical dispersants, which merely sunk the oil deeper into the water, into
the food chain and out of sight, made the waters of the Gulf up to 52 times
more toxic.

Immediately following the oil spill, Sea Shepherd launched Operation Gulf
Rescue, conducting and supporting efforts to rescue marine life and mitigate
the effects of the oil spill on Gulf ecosystems. Ocean Alliance began
collecting samples and data in this region shortly after the oil spill was
contained in 2010, and has been researching the far-reaching and deadly
impacts of the oil and dispersants ever since. Sea Shepherd joined forces
with Ocean Alliance for Operation Toxic Gulf last summer in order to help
continue this vital research.

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